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HISTORICAL SKETCH, BLAIRSTOWN M. E. CHURCH
The territory from West Irving, north of Belle Plaine to Linwood, south of Norway in Benton County, was all included in what was denominated in 1855, the West Irving Circuit. In that year, William Brown, the pastor of this extensive circuit, preached the first sermon in the vicinity of Blairstown, in the house of J. W. Athey, one mile south. In 1856 a Mr. Furgeson preached twice in the same place. In 1857 William Black organized the Hickory Grove Class, which was the nucleus of the present Blairstown Church. The following persons among others composed the original organization: J. W. Athey and wife, James Brinkley and wife, a Mr. Jones and wife, Mrs. Sarah Pasco, Samuel Parks and wife, Charles Smith and wife. George States and wife. Until the division of the work in 1865, the following ministers were pastors of the Circuit that included Blairstown: J. F. Hestwood, 1858-59; J. G. Wilkinson, 1860-'62; O. D. Bowles, 1863; and J. Haymond, 1863. In 1865 the work was divided, becoming Blairstown and Belle Plaine pastoral charges. Blairstown had three appointments: Van Metre's Grove, Eldorado, and Blairstown. Asa Critchfield and Laban Winsett were pastors. In 1866 E. L. Sherman was pastor of Blairstown. In 1867 Samuel Heald was appointed, and during his pastorate of two years, the present church edifice was built. In 1869-70, W. B. Hollen ministered to the struggling church. In 1870, W. G. Moore was appointed. He added Norway to the charge. In 1871, E. Hoskyn was appointed. From 1872 till 1875, E. S. Bargelt was pastor. During his administration a troublesome mortgage of $700 was removed from the church, and considerable money spent on improvements. From 1875 till 1878, Lyman Catlin was pastor. He built the parsonage. From 1878 till the middle of 1881, S. B. Warner was pastor. He improved the church building. The unexpired half of the third year was filled by J. N. Fawcett. In September, 1881, Uriah Eberhart was appointed. He removed a debt of $1,100 from the society. In March, 1883, Mr. Eberhart removed on account of failing health, and W. H. Doner supplied till the close of the year. During the pastorate of Mr. Eberhart, the Methodist Episcopal Church at Van Horne was organized. August 19, 1882. The next pastor, John G. Palmer, served two full years, from September, 1883 till October 1885, when W. S. Lewis was appointed. He was in the middle of the third year of a successful pastorate when he was removed to take charge of Epworth Seminary. His place was supplied by H. L. Smith, a member of the Northwest Iowa Conference, till October 1888, when Adam Holm was appointed, who is now, 1890, serving his second year. The notable things in the first year were, the addition of a barn to the parsonage property at the beginning of the year, and an extensive revival at the close, for neither of which does the present incumbent take any credit. The church edifice is a frame 32x50 in excellent repair, with a seating capacity of 200. Valued at $1,800. It needs a class room for the social services of the church, and the needs of the Sunday School, and a bell to cultivate punctuality in attendance. The ladies of the church are respectfully directed to the lack of a Communion Set. The parsonage property, including lot and stable, is valued at $800. The parsonage needs a coat of paint, to place it in line with the church building, or with the tasteful residences of many of the members of the church. The parsonage is furnished with stoves and partly with heavy furniture. The church property is free from debt and is insured. Ordinarily, all the financial business, including that which belongs to the Stewards, and that properly belonging to the Trustees, except the buying and selling of property, and such other business as the Quarterly Conference may from time to time commit to it, may be discharged by the above body, which is simply an organization of the members of the Quarterly Conference, with the pastor as chairman. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL AND SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD OFFICERS OF THE SCHOOL: John G. Palmer, Superintendent; H. L Bassett, Assistant Superintendent; Lilly Asche, Secretary; William Simmons, Treasurer; Frank Ehred, Librarian. TEACHERS: Hiram Lipe, John G. Palmer, Effie Ward, Mrs. M. King, H. L. Bassett, Ida Bassett, D. Hartung, Mrs. D. Hartung, Mrs. Holm. Sunday School Committee Appointed by the Quarterly Conference: Mrs. Ward, Mrs. Wise, Mrs. Haight. The Sunday School Board consists of the Pastor, who is chairman, the Officers, the Teachers, and the Sunday School Committee. The Discipline says: The Superintendent shall be nominated annually by the Sunday School Board, and confirmed at the Quarterly Conference at its next session. The other officers of the school shall be elected by the Sunday chool Board. The Teachers shall be nominated by the Superintendent with the concurrence of the Pastor and elected by the Board. Enrollment and Attendance at Sunday School: The Enrollment at this writing is 120, and the Average Attendance for the last quarter was 67. BLAIRSTOWN M. E. MEMBERSHIP, 1890 Asche, Elnora Asche, Lilly Athey, James W., 1 mile south Athey, Mrs. Minerva Barnes, Mrs. Susan Bassett, H. L. Bassett, Mrs. Lydia Bassett, Ida M. Bassett, Harry Bassett, Thaddeus Case, Separate, 1 mile west Coxe, Mrs. Martha Crandall, Charles, 2 miles south Dickinson, Mrs. Sarah Doolittle, Mrs. S. C. Doolittle, Elma S. Ehred, Claude Ehred, Frank Funk, Mrs. Cora Fellows, Viola Haight, George P. Haight, Mrs. Cornelia Haight, Lulu Halstead, Samuel Hartung, Daniel Hartung, Mrs. Martha Haughenbury, Mary E., 1 mile S Hayden, Mrs. Josephine, 2 1/2 mi. N Haines, Mrs. Sarah I., 2 miles W Harrington, Mrs. Clarissa Hedrick, Mrs. H. J., 5 miles south Hedrick, Lenora Hedrick, Lillian Holm, Anna T. Huff, Lizzie Heck, Mrs. Catharine King, Mrs. Margaret King, Alice Kite, Mrs. Susan, 2 miles north Lamborn, Albina Lipe, Hiram Lipe, Mrs. Evalina H. Lively, G. H. Lively, Mrs. Susan Long, Robert M., 2 miles S. E. Long, Mrs. Minnie M., 2 mi. S. E. Long, Ida Bell, 2 miles S. E. Lyon, John, 3 miles south Lyon, Mrs. Emma, 3 miles south McCarty, John McCarty, Mrs. Parthemia McKean, Libbie McDorman, Mrs. Rebecca Merriman, Mrs. Priscilla Nauman, Emma Palmer, John G. Palmer, Mrs. Ransom, J. H., 3 miles west Ransom, Mrs. Mary E., 3 miles west Robertson, Mrs. Lucy Saunderson, Mrs. Elmira Sayers, Mrs. Mary, 14 miles west Shelley, Mrs. Sarah, 5 miles south Shinn, Mrs. Sini Simmons, William Thomas, Mrs. Louisa A. Thomas, Emily H. Van Metre, Henry C, 7 mi. N. W. Van Metre, Rhoda Van Metre, John Ward, Mrs. Eliza E. Ward, Effie Ward, Lillian Watkinson, Henry Watkinson, Mrs. Sarah Wise, Mrs. Emma Wise, Jessie Wise, Jennie PROBATIONERS Asche, Ida; Asche, George; Buffington, Effie; Buffington, Lucy; Case, Ebenezer Pitman; Case, Corah Roxana; Case, Norah Samantha; Dalzell, David; Dalzell, Mrs. Mary A.; Dalzell, Loretta; Drake, Mrs. Eliza; Geiskeing, H. F.; Haight, Mary; Hayden, Orlyn; Hildebrand, George; Hildebrand, Mrs, Irene; Lively, Rose; Lyon, Loren; Lyon, Elmira; Nauman, Alice; Nauman, Sarah; Peterson, Lena; Ransom, William Winchester; Ransom, Charles Francis; Ransom, James Harvey; Ransom, George Edmund; Sanderson, Lee; Sanderson, Rhoate; Sanderson, Harriet; Shinn, John; Sayers, Sarah; Sayers, Renel; Shepard, Mary; Van Metre, Sarah; Van Metre, Jessie; Van Metre, Irene; Ward, Florence E.; Watkinson, Edmund |
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